Beech Tree News Network

Are you struggling with your New Year’s resolution to become healthier? It’s mid-February, and it’s not getting easier. Good advice about developing a healthier lifestyle can be found in books or online.
Currently, my Sunday evening church group has been studying The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life (by Rick Warren, Daniel Amen, and Mark Hyman). This plan “is a life style program based on biblical principles and five essential components: Food, Fitness, Focus, Faith, and Friends” (p. 16). The Daniel Plan promotes eating a colorful variety of real, whole foods and discourages eating processed foods.
Jillian Michaels (http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fit/lose-weight/5-healthy-changes-to-make...) of the TV program The Biggest Loser has also provided some great advice for a healthier lifestyle. She believes that we should (1) change our mindset, (2) create short and long-term goals with an action plan, (3) develop a support system, (4) stock healthy foods as we throw out the unhealthy foods, and (5) set up and follow an activity schedule.
Chris Powell (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-powell/weight-loss-plan_b_868671.html) of the TV program Extreme Weight Loss advised (1) setting a goal, (2) cleaning up nutrition, and (3) exercising daily. Regarding nutrition, Powell (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/newsmakers/chris-powell-extreme-weight-loss-...) suggested “carb cycling,” alternating high-carb and low-carb days so that a person gets fat-loss and metabolic boosting. On low-carb days, a person will burn fat. On high-carb days, a person will boost metabolism and build muscle. Regarding exercise, he advised initially beginning with 5 to 10 minutes of movement per day, explaining that short-term, high-intensity work outs increase the body’s metabolic rate.
Developing a healthier lifestyle is a daily choice. Generally, we know what to do. As an overweight diabetic, I try to make good choices. And, even though it’s an uphill battle, I’m not giving up.